Portugal Waives Citizen Card Fees for Residents Affected by Storm Kristin Until 2026

The Portugal Council of Ministers has eliminated the usual fee for replacing a Citizen Card damaged or lost during Storm Kristin, instantly saving affected households the equivalent of a week’s groceries.

Why This Matters

• No-cost replacement: The normal €18 fee is waived until 31 March 2026.

• 70+ municipalities covered: Applies only in areas placed under a calamidade declaration after the 28 January storm.

• Single proof required: A declaration from your Junta de Freguesia is enough to show the card was destroyed by the storm.

• Retroactive protection: Anyone who already paid after 28 January can request a refund under Portaria 62/2026/1.

How the Exemption Works

Storm Kristin tore through the Centre, Lisbon-and-Vale-do-Tejo and parts of Alentejo, shredding roofs—and identification documents. Under the new order, citizens in the disaster strip can renew or reissue their Cartão de Cidadão free of charge if the loss is “imputável aos fenómenos adversos.” The waiver also covers holders of the old lifetime ID card moving to the modern format.

Who Qualifies—and Who Does Not

To tap the benefit you must:

Reside in one of the listed 70+ councils—from Abrantes to Ovar.

Have proof that the card was lost, soaked or cracked because of the storm (the local parish issues a one-page statement; no police report necessary).

File the request at any Citizen Shop or Civil Registry counter before 31 March 2026.

Note: Moving to a new address outside the disaster zone or a routine renewal unrelated to the storm will still incur the standard fee.

Fast-Track Application Tips

• Bring your parish declaration and current proof of address.• Tell staff you are applying under “regime excecional Kristin.” It is coded in the IRN system, so the computer should automatically zero out the fee.• If you have already paid, ask for form 137-R at the desk to claim a refund; money is returned by bank transfer within 30 days.

What This Means for Residents

For families juggling repair invoices and temporary rentals, the waiver removes one more bill. Students who rely on the Citizen Card for exam registration and seniors who use it to collect pensions will regain formal ID without spending precious cash. Landlords may also find tenant screening simpler because renters can replace IDs swiftly.

Part of a Broader Relief Package

The card exemption sits inside a €2.5 B rescue plan that also offers:

• €10 000 housing grants for structural repairs.

• A 90-day mortgage holiday on owner-occupied homes.

• €500 M in soft-loan credit lines for small businesses.

• Automatic tax filing extensions until April.

Taken together, the measures aim to stop a temporary weather shock from spiralling into long-term economic distress.

Looking Ahead

The exemption window closes on 31 March 2026. Officials at the Portugal Digital Administration Service hint that mobile enrolment vans may be deployed to remote villages if queues surge. Meanwhile, owners of cracked ID cards are being advised to keep the fragments; presenting them can shave a few minutes off biometric re-capture.

Bottom line: If Storm Kristin ruined your paperwork, act before 31 March 2026. A quick visit to the nearest Citizen Shop could save both time and money you’d rather put toward a new roof.